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NITED STATES PATENT Erica.

URIAH M. \VEIDEMAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO EDVARD O. \VATSON, OF SAME PLACE.

BEE-HIVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,185, dated February 16, 1886.

Application filed September 22, 1884. Serial No. 143,643. (Model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, URIAI-I M. EIDEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bee-Hives, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of bee-hives.

The objects that I have in view are to pro vide a bee-hive so constructed thatit will keep out vermin, furnish good ventilation, and be capable of being readily attached to and detached from other hives of similar construction. These features are illustrated in the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of hives of my construction placed one upon the other, and arranged so that the bees can enter at the bottom hive and pass through it to the upper hive. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bottom of the hive, which is removable at will. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the top of the hive, with the slide to cover bee-entrance hole en tirely removed. Fig. 4. is a plan view ofaportion of the top of the hive, showing the slide which controls the bee openings or entrances in place, preventing the escape of bees at the opening on top. This is the position that it occupies on the upper hive, where two or more are placed together. Fig. 5 is a front and side view of the slide which covers the bee openings or entrances before mentioned. There should be at least two of these for each hive, and they should be exactly alike, and should fit each of the openings in the hive.

A is the body of the hive; B, a rim going entirely around the hive at the top.

0 is a cleat having a groove on its under side for the end of the slide or valve K, when closing the opening on the top of the hive. The position of this groove is indicated by dotted lines on Fig. 3, and its object is merely to steady the end of the slide and make it cover the bee-opening more securely.

D is the bee opening or doors in top of hive. This is made for the purpose of allowing two hives to communicate when only one hive is in use. This is closed by the slide K, and the same is true of the upper hive when two are together.

E is a vertical groove, made in the rim close against the body of the hive, for the double purpose of holding the slide K when not in use, and as an opening through which the end 5 of this slide K passes when it is required to close the opening or door F H, through which bees enter the hive.

F is a horizontal slot, made in the rim B in such a position as to come opposite the opening of a similar size and shape, H, made in the bottom of the front side of the body of the hive when one hive is placed upon another. Both these openings can be closed by the slide K, which is for the purpose inserted in the vertical guides I I and pressed down until it touches the bottom of the opening F in the rim.

K is the slide above referred to, having a thicker end, k.

L is the bottom of the hive, having dovetailed grooves Z for retaining it upon the bottom of the hive, and allowing of its easy re moval where it is desired to place the hive upon another, or for purposes of cleaning.

Z Z are dovetails upon sides 01' hive. 7

M is a hollow bowl or recess in the top surface of the hive-bottom. This is to hold beefood.

b are ventilatingholes in rim of hive. These are made in precisely the same relative position as those I) in the bottom of the sides of the hive, and when the hive is placed upon another they correspond and make one continuous small hole or ventilatirig-passage, too small for the passage of bees; or, if larger, covered with netting 0r gauze.

The advantages of my improved hive are, that a young swarm can be permitted to escape from one hive to another without danger of loss by merely placing the hive into which 0 they are to be transferred upon the otherhive, first removing the bottom of the upper hive and closing its top opening by means of its slide K. The lower opening is then closed by a slide passing into the rim of the lower hive. 5 This at the same time opens the hole in the top of the lower hive, and the bees can pass into the upper hive with safety. \Vhen singly in use, the bottom is put on and the upper slide is place horizontally, so as to cover the opening in the top of the hive. The lower slide is kept up during the daytime to permit the bees to go and come freely, but at night it is closed.

For transportation, the food-receptacle in the bottom is properly supplied with food, the slides are put in so as to cover all the openings, except those which are provided for ventilation, and then they are packed in open crates.

The ventilating-holes I) I) provide ample ventilation under all circumstances, whether the hives are used singly or superposed.

I claim-- 1. A bee-hive provided with a removable bottom, a vertical slot, D, in the top, vertical and horizontal slots E and F in the rim B on the top of the hive, a notch in the bottom of one of the sides corresponding to the slots, and a slide which is adapted to fit in the slots or over the notch, as set forth. 

